Asiopisinus cheni, Hu & Wei & Liu & Xu, 2025

Asiopisinus cheni sp. nov.

Figs 1A View FIGURE 1 , 2A View FIGURES 2 , 3A View FIGURES 3 , 4A, B View FIGURES 4 , 6 View FIGURES 6 , 7 View FIGURES 7 , 14A, B View FIGURES 14 , 15A, B View FIGURES 15 , 16A, B View FIGURES 16 , 22 View FIGURE 22

Type material. Holotype ♂: CHINA, Hubei Province: Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture , Xuan’en County, Qizimeishan National Nature Reserve , Changtanhe Dong Auton. Township , Qizimeishan Mountain ; 30.0292°N, 109.7292°E; elev. 1300 m; 6‒11 July 2023; C.H. Hu & M. Wei leg. ( QZMS00346 , in CBEE) GoogleMaps . Paratypes: 5♂ 7♀, same data as for holotype (QZMS00342, 00343 , 02849 , 04586 ‒ 04593 , 04595 , in CBEE) GoogleMaps .

Etymology. This species is named after the Chinese arachnologist: Prof. Jian Chen (Hubei University, Wuhan, China), who makes great contribution to Chinese arachnology.

Diagnosis. The male of Asiopisinus cheni sp. nov. resembles those of A. ornithorrhynchus ( Liu, Agnarsson, Liu & Zhu, 2022) comb. nov. (cf. Fig. 6 View FIGURES 6 and Fig. 12 View FIGURES 12 ) and A. pseudonubilus (Liang, Liu, Yin & Yu, 2025) comb. nov. (cf. Fig. 6 View FIGURES 6 and Liang et al. 2025: figs 5D–F, 6) in having a nearly triangular embolic base (EB) and embolus (E) arising from embolic base at 3 o’clock position, but can be distinguished from A. ornithorrhynchus by: 1) sperm duct (SD) in tegulum (T) almost parallel to margins of embolic base (vs. unparallel); 2) median apophysis (MA) extended to 2/3 of width of bulb in ventral view (vs. 4/5) and 3) lateral margin of prolateral arm of conductor (PC) with a rounded angle (vs. with an acute angle [arrow in Fig. 12A View FIGURES 12 ]); can be distinguished from A. pseudonubilus by 1) median apophysis extended to 2/3 of width of bulb in ventral view (vs. 1/2); and 2) sperm duct in embolic base strongly curved to C-shaped in ventral view (vs. slightly curved to S-shaped).

For female see diagnosis under Asiopisinus anfu (Liang, Liu, Yin & Yu, 2025) comb. nov.. The female of A. cheni sp. nov. also resembles that of A. pseudonubilus (Liang, Liu, Yin & Yu, 2025) comb. nov. (cf. Fig. 7 View FIGURES 7 and Liang et al. 2025: figs 7D–F, 8) by having spermathecae (S) divided into 2 equal spherical portions, but can be recognized by lateral part of copulatory ducts (CD) curved (vs. straight).

Description. Male (holotype): Measurements: Total length 3.59. Carapace 1.54 long, 1.37 wide. Opisthosoma 2.08 long, 1.51 wide. Eyes: AME 0.10, ALE 0.11, PME 0.10, PLE 0.09, AME‒AME 0.09, AME‒ALE 0.03, PME‒ PME 0.08, PME‒PLE 0.07, AME‒PME 0.12, ALE‒PLE 0.03. Measurements of legs: I 6.55 (1.91, 0.57, 1.74, 1.76, 0.57), II 4.48 (1.48, 0.43, 1.01, 1.00, 0.56), III 3.34 (1.10, 0.35, 0.63, 0.70, 0.56), IV 7.19 (2.16, 0.61, 1.61, 2.06, 0.75).

Palp ( Fig. 6 View FIGURES 6 ): Sperm duct (SD) almost parallel to margins of embolic base (EB). Median apophysis (MA) extending to 2/3 of width of bulb in ventral view. Prolateral arm of conductor (PC) nearly triangular, lateral margins of prolateral arm of conductor S-shaped (red line in Fig. 6A View FIGURES 6 ), posterior corner of prolateral arm of conductor with 4 denticles. Embolic base slightly triangular, with sperm duct (SD) C-shaped. Embolus (E) arising from embolic base at 3 o’clock position.

Colouration ( Figs 14A View FIGURES 14 , 15A View FIGURES 15 , 16A View FIGURES 16 ): Carapace brown, with yellowish-brown margins. Cephalic region red. Fovea black. Endites with gray distal parts. Sternum dark brown. Legs yellow to brown. Opisthosoma brown, dorsum with 2 thick white longitudinal stripes located laterally and several white transversal stripes, venter with posterior white transversal stripe.

Female (paratype): Measurements: Total length 4.26. Carapace 1.67 long, 1.43 wide. Opisthosoma 2.87 long, 2.45 wide. Eyes: AME 0.11, ALE 0.13, PME 0.12, PLE 0.11, AME‒AME 0.07, AME‒ALE 0.02, PME‒PME 0.08, PME‒PLE 0.10, AME‒PME 0.15, ALE‒PLE 0.03. Measurements of legs: I 6.45 (1.91, 0.55, 1.50, 1.94, 0.55), II 4.41 (1.43, 0.49, 0.91, 1.02, 0.56), III 3.55 (1.02, 0.44, 0.70, 0.86, 0.53), IV 7.16 (2.04, 0.65, 1.55, 2.18, 0.74).

Epigyne ( Fig. 7 View FIGURES 7 ): Copulatory ducts (CD) with coiled portion partly covered by spermathecae (S) and 3-shaped portion located lateral spermatheca. Spermatheca consisted of double spherical portions.

Colouration ( Figs 14B View FIGURES 14 , 15B View FIGURES 15 , 16B View FIGURES 16 ): As in males, but darker.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality ( Fig. 22 View FIGURE 22 ).